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User:Tarafa15/Saudi Arabia 2010s

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Political, economic, and social changes of the 2010s

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Main article: Saudi Vision 2030

Economic reforms

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Following the prolonged slump in oil prices from 2013, changes to the cabinet structure included the creation in 2015 of the Council of Economic and Development Affairs, chaired by then-Defense Minister Mohammad bin Salman.[1] The following year bin Salman announced the Saudi Vision 2030 program, which aims to diversify the Saudi economy and reduce its dependence on oil revenues and state spending.[2]

Central to the program is the Public Investment Fund of Saudi Arabia (PIF), which in 2017 began investing in sectors including infrastructure, real estate and technology with the goal of becoming one of the world’s largest sovereign wealth funds by 2030.[3] Several projects were announced including Neom, a proposed $500 billion mega-city in the northwest of the kingdom, extending into Jordan and Egypt.[4] The PIF also launched Saudi Arabian Military Industries (SAMI), a domestic defense company.[5]

Additional reforms within Vision 2030 include a privatization program, which aims to raise the private sector’s share of GDP; a financial sector development program to diversify financial services; and a fiscal balance program, which commits the government to cutting the budget deficit and increasing its non-oil revenues.[6][7][8]

Social and cultural changes

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On 25 September 2011, King Abdullah announced that Saudi women would gain the right to vote (and to be candidates) in municipal elections, provided that a male guardian granted permission.[9] Women voted for the first time in the 2015 municipal elections.[10]

In August 2013, a law was passed that criminalized domestic violence against women. The law includes penalties of a 12-month jail sentence and fines of up to 50,000 riyals ($13,000).[11]

In 2016 the Saudi government stripped the religious police of the power to pursue, arrest or detain members of the public.[12] Also in 2016 the General Entertainment Authority was formed to oversee the expansion of the Saudi entertainment sector.[13] The first concerts in Riyadh for 25 years took place in December that year.[14] Other events since the GEA’s creation have included comedy shows, professional wrestling events and monster truck rallies.[15]

In April 2017, a project was announced to build a 334-square kilometer entertainment city in Qiddiya, southwest of Riyadh.[16] Ground-breaking at the site began in April 2018.[17]

In December 2017 the country’s first concert by a female performer took place in Riyadh.[18] The following month Saudi women were allowed to enter sports stadiums for the first time.[19] In April 2018 the first public cinema opened after a ban of 35 years.[20]

In March 2018 a law was passed allowing Saudi mothers to retain custody of their children after divorce without having to file any lawsuits.[21] A law followed in May that year criminalizing sexual harassment.[22]

In June 2018, King Salman issued a decree allowing women to drive, lifting the world's only ban on women drivers.[23]

The Saudi Vision 2030 program includes a commitment to increase female participation in the workforce from 22% to 30% by 2030.[24] As of 2018 Saudi women can open businesses without a male's permission, work in the Public Prosecution Office and the Ministry of Justice, and join the military.[25][26][27][28] In February that year there were 600,000 women employed in the private sector, up from 90,000 in 2011.[29]

  1. ^ Joseph A. Kechichian (18 February 2015). "Saudi king's son on fast track to power". Gulf News. Retrieved 1 November 2018.
  2. ^ "Saudi Arabia: Saudi Vision 2030 Sets Out Post-Oil Economic Transformation Plan". Forbes Middle East. 1 May 2016. Retrieved 1 November 2018.
  3. ^ Sarah Algethami (22 October 2017). "How Saudi Arabia Is Building Its $2 Trillion Fund". Bloomberg News. Retrieved 1 November 2018.
  4. ^ Alaa Shahine; Glen Carey; Vivian Nereim (24 October 2017). "Saudi Arabia Just Announced Plans to Build a Mega City That Will Cost $500 Billion". Bloomberg News. Retrieved 1 November 2018.
  5. ^ "Saudi Arabia launches military industries company". Reuters. 17 May 2017. Retrieved 1 November 2018.
  6. ^ "Saudi economic council adopts Delivery Plan 2020 privatization program". Al Arabiya. 24 April 2018. Retrieved 1 November 2018.
  7. ^ "Saudi Arabia approves development plan for its financial sector". Reuters. 9 May 2018. Retrieved 1 November 2018.
  8. ^ Sarmad Khan (8 May 2018). "Saudi Arabia's non-oil revenue surges 63% in first quarter". The National. Retrieved 1 November 2018.
  9. ^ "Women in Saudi Arabia to vote and run in elections". BBC News Online. 25 September 2011. Retrieved 24 September 2018.
  10. ^ "Saudi Arabia's women vote in election for first time". BBC News Online. 12 December 2015. Retrieved 27 September 2017.
  11. ^ Heather Saul (29 August 2013). "Saudi Arabia cabinet passes ban on domestic violence". The Independent. Independent Print Limited. Retrieved 27 September 2015.
  12. ^ Sewell Chan (15 April 2016). "Saudi Arabia Moves to Curb Its Feared Religious Police". New York Times. Retrieved 13 November 2018.
  13. ^ "Saudi Arabia allows concerts—even country music". The Economist. 1 June 2017. Retrieved 24 September 2018.
  14. ^ "Mohammed Abdu to perform live in Riyadh". Arab News. 2 September 2016. Retrieved 24 September 2018.
  15. ^ Mark Mazzetti; Ben Hubbard (15 October 2016). "Rise of Saudi Prince Shatters Decades of Royal Tradition". New York Times. Retrieved 24 September 2018.
  16. ^ "Saudi Arabia unveils plans for 'entertainment city' near Riyadh". BBC News Online. 8 April 2017. Retrieved 19 November 2018.
  17. ^ Stephen Kalin; Marwa Rashad (28 April 2018). "Saudi Arabia launches multi-billion dollar entertainment resort". Reuters. Retrieved 19 November 2018.
  18. ^ Lydia Smith (9 December 2017). "Saudi Arabia hosts first-ever concert by female performer". The Independent. Retrieved 24 September 2018.
  19. ^ "Saudi Arabia to allow women to enter stadiums to watch soccer". New York Post. 12 January 2018. Retrieved 24 September 2018.
  20. ^ "Saudi cinema screens reopen on 18 April 'with Black Panther'". BBC News Online. 5 April 2018. Retrieved 19 November 2018.
  21. ^ Tamara Qiblawi (12 March 2018). "Divorced Saudi women win right to get custody of children". CNN. Retrieved 24 September 2018.
  22. ^ Paul Harrison; Mohamed El Aassar (29 May 2018). "Saudi Arabia to criminalise sexual harassment". BBC News Online. Retrieved 19 November 2018.
  23. ^ "Landmark day for Saudi women as kingdom's controversial driving ban ends". CNN. 24 June 2018.
  24. ^ Ahmed Al Omran (1 September 2017). "Saudi Arabia edges more women into work". Financial Times. Retrieved 19 November 2018.
  25. ^ "Saudi women to start own business without male permission". Al Arabiya. 18 February 2018. Retrieved 19 November 2018.
  26. ^ Sam Bridge (14 July 2018). "Saudi Attorney General set to appoint first female investigators". Arabian Business. Retrieved 19 November 2018.
  27. ^ "Saudi Arabia's Ministry of Justice grants 12 women 'verification' license". Arab News. 10 July 2018. Retrieved 19 November 2018.
  28. ^ "Saudi Arabia allows women to join military". BBC News Online. 26 February 2018. Retrieved 19 November 2018.
  29. ^ Sarah Hassan (7 February 2018). "Saudi women join the workforce as country reforms". CNN. Retrieved 19 November 2018.
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